The Trekking Pawns' Diary

Our upcoming cruise adventure has us dreaming about all the incredible activities we can pack into our day at Roatan, Honduras. One thing we know for sure: we want to zipline through the lush jungle canopies of this gorgeous island. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  From our past cruise experience, we’ve learned that as soon as you step off the ship, you’re met with a flurry of vendors eager to book you on an excursion. While these offers can be tempting, we like to do our homework in advance to ensure we’re making the most of our precious time in port. Photo: GoogleMaps Our Plan for Roatan After our glass-bottom boat tour , which we booked through GetYourGuide , we’re hoping to squeeze in a ziplining adventure before heading back to the ship. Luckily, we found two incredible options that are both close to the cruise terminal and promise...

As we prepare for our upcoming cruise, one of the most anticipated stops on our itinerary is Cozumel, Mexico. While there are countless ways to spend a day in this vibrant port, we decided to take a step back in time and visit the world-famous Tulum Mayan Ruins. After doing some research and weighing our options, we ultimately booked the excursion through the cruise line, and here’s why. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  ( Photo: Getyourguide  Things to do in Tulum ) The Excursion: Tulum Mayan Ruins The cruise line excursion to the Tulum Mayan Ruins is advertised as a seamless way to experience one of the most iconic archaeological sites in the world. The tour includes: A 45-minute ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen. A 1-hour air-conditioned bus ride to the ruins. A guided tour of the walled city, showcasing restored temp...

Hello, fellow wanderers! The Trekking Pawns here, and we’re officially in the countdown to our next cruise adventure. As we get closer to setting sail, we’re diving into planning how to best use our time at each port. After our first cruise experience in Alaska, we learned a few valuable lessons that are guiding our approach this time around. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  On that Alaskan cruise, we discovered that port days could be a mixed bag. Some stops were magical, but others left us wandering aimlessly, feeling like we didn’t make the most of our limited time. That’s why, for this trip, we’re determined to go in with a solid plan—especially since the places we’ll be visiting are entirely new to us, and let’s be honest, we’re not likely to revisit them individually anytime soon. The Dilemma: Cruise-Booked Excursions vs. DIY Opti...